DeMarcus Cousins (Photo : Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The DeMarcus Cousins saga continues as NBA trade rumors still focus on his possible destinations.
It's not just the teams with a hole at center, almost any team in the NBA would adjust to take a player of Cousins' talent level. However, not too many teams would take the risk on his attitude. The Orlando Magic has had its share of temperamental centers and they be forced to take their chance on another one.
One of the lead writers on The Vertical, Chris Mannix noted that the Magic is a team that's hard to read.
"Because right now Orlando is ... what exactly? The Magic have some nice young pieces in Gordon, Fournier and Elfrid Payton but lack any discernible star power. Gordon is playing out of position while Payton was relegated to the bench last month - and has put up better numbers since. The clock continues to tick toward Ibaka's free agency this summer and the staggering salary Orlando will have to pay to keep him," Mannix elaborated.
The solution for the Magic, similar to the Denver Nuggets, is to consolidate their young players to acquire a star. Mannix teases Cousins.
"Again, all indications are Cousins is going nowhere. But if the Kings get serious about looking for a trade partner, Orlando has a lot of pieces that would fit."
The onus is still on the Kings and on paper they are getting a lot of options, but we don't know if there are really offers taking place. There are also rumors that the Kings are asking too much for their star player.
If the Magic should trade for a superstar it will most likely involve Aaron Gordon. Gordon has emerged as a potential star for the team but the logjam at the frontline has pushed him off position.
In a recent piece on Hoops Habit, Luke Duffy noted that Gordon is pushed out of his comfort zone. "His game is diversifying, but it is also moving away from what he is best at, being a pain around the paint and using his superb hops to out-jump opponents," Duffy noted.
Gordon would be ideal as a young, athletic stretch four and his stint at small forward has helped him improve his ball-handling. However, it's still not his natural position. A change in scenery might benefit the young stud.
